Doing the unexpected
by greeneyedAlice91
Summary: Hermione has a secret admirer but who is it? Draco is up to something; is it good or bad? Read and find out


**Hermione's Point of View**

Hermione Granger never considered herself pretty, she was simply the bookworm in the Golden Trio and that was that. Ron had the strategy skills, when he used them and Harry was famous because he was 'The Boy Who Lived'. But where did that leave Hermione? Stuck in the middle of a Trio that didn't even notice her floundering attempts to change, that's where. The only one who seemed to notice was the one person she least expected: Draco Malfoy. Yes that's right, the arrogant prick from Slytherin, Mudblood-hater number one. It was strange to her at first as well; the slight smile tugging at the corners of his mouth when they passed each other in the corridor, his lessening use of the term Mudblood. She chalked it up to the dark circles under his eyes, the paling of his already pale skin.

A few days after his first attempt at nicety Hermione was in the library, as usual, researching Horcruxes. She was deep in a thick leather-bound book when she felt it. A feather light, almost imaginary tap on the shoulder was all. Startled, she whipped around, dropping the book in the process. Her chocolate eyes narrowed as she carefully got up and peered around the nearby bookshelf. Nothing. Biting her lip in worry she eased around the other shelves, seeing nothing. Hermione quietly returned to the table, glancing at the time before picking the heavy book up once again. An hour later, as the lamps in the library flickered the bushy-haired witch made her way to dinner; not all that hungry. She shook her head at Ron's disgusting table manners and took a seat next to his much better mannered sisiter Ginny. Not five minutes later, Ginny began bombarding her with gossip while Hermione snuck glances at a certain blonde Slytherin, also not eating.

Ginny prattled on about the upcoming dance as Hermione tried not to look at the emerald and silver bannered table, much less a very puzzling diner who is also her enemy. Wait; did she really want him as her enemy? Of course he called her Mudblood and bucktoothed, but in the recent weeks that's all but stopped. The only question remaining is why. The answer would be impossible to discover, unless she wished to risk getting jinxed and sent to the Infirmary. Silently Hermione got up from the table, oblivious to Ginny's annoyance at being left, and headed to Gryffindor tower. The portrait of the Fat Lady swung open and she clambered through the opening. Making her way to the girls' dormitory Hermione was desperate for a hot bath, a bubble bath to be exact.

The large tub took awhile to fill but once it was deep enough and piled to the brim with pinkish-purple bubbles, Hermione stepped in, sinking slowly to the bottom of the tub. She sighed as she let the hot, soothing water clear away all the things that had been troubling her, relishing in the quiet and solitude that was fleeting in a place like this. After awhile, the bubbles having all but disappeared, Hermione reluctantly stepped out, draining the tub. Then wrapping herself in her favorite fluffy green towel, wondering a bit to herself if she needed to get a different color, she went to her trunk and pulled out her nightshirt. It was white and very old, one of her dad's football ones that came down to her knees almost. Smiling at the mere feeling of something familiar she just about missed the note and rose on her bed.

Glancing around the dorm and to the closed window she cautiously approached the parchment, as if it could bite her. Gently her slender fingers picked up the paper, somewhat excited to see what it said. Flipping it over Hermione saw her name in gentle cursive, as if penned by a lover's hand. Her pulse picked up at the thought before she mentally scolded herself for getting her hopes up. After all it was probably just a note from Ginny demanding she explain her rude behavior at dinner. Yes, that was it; she decided shutting out that small voice telling her it was something else entirely. Her inner voice had been right after all. In that gentle slow cursive that had wrote her name, a neat little note lay in her vision reading;

Please meet me at the Astronomy Tower tomorrow at 7pm. I am eagerly hoping that you come as there is something I need to say. – Yours truly. P.S. I hope you like the rose.

Hermione's mouth fell open as she let the note fall on her bed. Her thoughts careened a million miles an hour as she thought who it could be writing to her. Harry was slobbering over Ginny and Ron was joined to Lavender's hip so those two were out. Seamus and Dean had never showed anything than friendship for her and neither had Fred or George. Puzzled, she quickly went through an entire mental list of guys, and some girls, who could have sent the rose and the note. The entire Hufflepuff house was out of the question, she didn't know them well enough, as was everyone in Ravenclaw except Luna. But Hermione was pretty sure she didn't swing that way plus she clearly had eyes for Seamus. The only House left was Slytherin, and Hermione wasn't called the brightest witch of her age for nothing. Everyone in that House detested the other houses, Gryffindor especially. Except for one, it seemed. Draco Malfoy had been a bit unusual lately in regards to her, at least. Shaking her head slightly, she climbed into her four poster bed and slept.

**Draco's Point of View**

He strode about the corridors acting like he owned them, or pretending to act like he did. In truth Draco was pacing. His white-blonde hair still impeccable, his eyes and posture gave nothing away; the only thing different were the dark circles under his grey eyes and his hollow looking cheeks. He gnawed on his bottom lip, a habit even his mother's training couldn't break. Draco was troubled by what he had to do, nothing as monumental as his failed task last year, but still nerve racking enough he thought about backing out. But then his thoughts went directly to the other person involved and he blanched at the thought of disappointing her.

Draco Malfoy had done the unthinkable: he had fallen for Hermione Granger. He wasn't exactly sure when or how, but he had. Strangely, though, the thought of impending doom didn't scare him as much as it should. Maybe because for the first time in his life Draco Malfoy, Sex God and the Slytherin Prince , had finally met his match. Hermione was smart, smarter than him in some areas, and loyal; an attribute no one in Slytherin had ever possessed except his mother in her time at Hogwarts, and even that had been weakened by her husband, Lucius.

He had delivered the note and rose to the tower by broom, opening the window and slipping in to quickly place his gift on her bed before slipping back out. If anything, Slytherins had the art of sleath on their side which really helped in times like that. He had heard the water running in the bathroom as he left praying it was Hermione and not one of those other girls. Even though he hadn't left his name he knew those girls would have made a fuss over it. Draco sighed and chuckled to himself as he made his way to the Slytherin abode, suddenly wishing he didn't reside in such a cold damp place. Draco climbed into the common room barely glancing at the green torches on the walls or the black and emerald couches placed before the fireplace. He entered his room, letting his tired body drop like a stone onto his green and silver covered bed. He reached a weary hand up to the hangings and pulled them shut slowly, blocking out the fading light from his eyes. Groaning, the boy turned over on his side and promptly fell into a deep slumber.

**Hermione's Point of View**

7pm couldn't come fast enough for Hermione's liking. The hours seemed to drag on, dinner being the longest one she had ever had. Finally it was 6:00 pm, giving her an hour to dress and fix her hair. None of the other girls knew where she was going, which was a very good thing otherwise hse would have never been able to make it on time.

Quickly she showered, using her favorite peach scented body wash and toweling off once again with that infernal green towel, which looked suspiciously like the exact shade of green on the Slytherin House banner. Hermione shoved the thought to the back of her mind as she continued to get ready. Her narrow waist was accentuated by a pair of tight, but still comfy dark jeans. The flowing top of light brown and blue brought out the lighter shade of brown in her hair and eyes while pale blue ballet flats encased her small feet.

Pale brown eyeshadow and a little hint of blush warmed her ivory skin; French pink lipgloss emphasized her delicate lips. Her brown curls were artfully pulled back in a clip, leaving a strand or two down in front of her face. After looking herself once over in the mirror Parvati kept at her bedside; she left and began the walk to her destination. The torches bracketed on the walls never seemed brighter nor the halls as quiet as tonight. Of course no one would be out at this hour or if they were she didn't notice. Sooner than she thought she was at the foot of the stair leading to the Astronomy tower. Giddily she just about bounded up the steps but stopped before she made a fool of herself. Taking a deep breath she climbed the stairs, and then pushed open the heavy wooden door. The small circular room was vacant at the moment so Hermione conjured a comfortable chair to sit in. And so the waiting began.

**Draco's Point of View**

Draco had jumped into the shower when he looked at the clock and realized it was 6:30 already. It was the fastest shower he had ever taken, and he was even quicker dressing and combing his hair. Draco strode out of the common room and headed toward the Astronomy tower, not knowing he was going the wrong way until a door popped up on the right hand side of the corridor. Exasperated he went back the way he came turning the opposite direction this time. After a few minutes of walking he reached his destination, a bit out of breath though.

Breathing deeply he scrambled up the stone steps and opened the wooden door. In a plush looking chair sat the object of his affections: Hermione Granger. Her head was bent but when he came in she jerked up; surprised. Her soft pink mouth formed an 'o' of shock and he almost laughed but thought better of it. Her wild bushy locks were even more so from the position she had been sitting in, giving her a rebellious 'I don't care how I look' aura. Of course she could have been dirty and covered in mud and Draco still wouldn't have cared. She tried to say something but he shook his head. No words were necessary as they both knew what was happening. Before losing his resolve Draco walked over to her and pulled her to her ballet shoe clad feet. Hermione's soulful brown eyes seemed to be speaking to him, yearning for the same things he was; or so he hoped.

Gently, swiftly before she thought to pull away he crashed his lips to hers; crushing them like soft rose petals against his own. A faint whimper could be heard but from whom Draco wasn't sure. All time had froze, the Earth stopped spinning as his lips lay claim to hers. His tongue begged entrance to her mouth, which she gave and double with much enthusiasm, turning his brain to absolute mush. Kissing had never been this good, not even with Astoria Greengrass. This was heaven, Draco was sure of it and damn it all he decided then to never let go.

Reluctant to pull away, yet needing air, Draco disengaged his mouth and hers. Breathing gently he looked at Hermione, her lips were swollen and her lip gloss smeared a bit but it just made her that much more beautiful. They looked at each other, unspoken words passing like bullets between them, questions swirling in their minds that they knew the answers to. Both of them felt a spark, a charge pass between them but were tentative to pursue it.

Hermione was the one who made the first move, extending her pale slender hand for Draco to take she let herself be vulnerable to the rejection Draco would never think of giving. Smiling, a rare sight for the young Malfoy, he took her hand, intertwining their fingers as he did so. Her chocolate eyes widened at the gesture because he knew what she expected. Who said Draco Malfoy had to do what was expected form him all the time? He pulled her against him, enjoying the feel of her warm skin. Together they left the small circular room that would always be special to them and prepared to face the world, together.


End file.
